Social Programme at OSE
We offer a wide range of social activities and events throughout the year, catering to both long-stay and short-course students.
Year-Round Social Programme
We offer an active social programme throughout the year, tailored to the changing interests of our students.
Winter Months
During the cooler winter season, long-stay students often form their own friendships and organise social events independently. As a result, our official social programme is more limited at this time. However, there are still plenty of opportunities to get involved, including our popular weekend excursions (see below).
Summer Months
In the summer, with many short-stay students joining us, there’s a high level of interest in organised activities. We offer a vibrant and varied programme, with events taking place most weekday afternoons and some evenings. Full-day coach excursions are typically available every Saturday and Sunday.
Some of our popular social activities
Pub Night
This is our most popular activity. It is held every Thursday, when we go to a city centre pub. This is always great fun, and an opportunity for students not only to make friends but also to practise their English
museums and art galleries
There are four museums and two art galleries close to the school, and we visit them regularly.
Barbecues
Held during the long hot summer evenings on our private terrace, our barbecues are always well-attended and great fun.
Bowling
A chance to prove your skills or just have a good laugh with your classmates, we often take students bowling at the Hollywood Bowl in East Oxford which also has a wide-range of arcade games, pool tables and American-style diner food.
Ice skating
The ice skating rink is close to the school, and this is a popular activity (especially in the summer!)
Guided tours of Oxford
We arrange guided tours of Oxford city centre for new students. Our guide takes them through the old streets and lanes, pointing out the city’s key buildings and in simple English explaining their history and relevance.
Colleges & University Tours
We regularly organise tours to Oxford University colleges and important buildings, including Christ Church College (where they filmed scenes from Harry Potter) and the Bodliean Library.
Christmas party
For students staying with us over Christmas, there is a very special event – our annual Christmas party (see the photograph section). Held in a local club with dancing and prizes, it is usually fancy dress and is probably the most popular event in the whole year.
Outdoor Shakespeare
Every summer a Shakespeare play is performed in an outdoor theatre in the park, We always hold special lessons for students who want to go, to explain the play.
Explore Oxford on Your Own
Oxford is a lively city with around 35,000 students, creating a fun and diverse cultural scene. There are international restaurants all over—Cowley Road alone has food from 36 different countries.
You’ll also find five cinemas, seven theatres, and over 30 music venues. With plenty of cafes, bars, pubs, and nightclubs, there’s always something going on. Oxford also has great shopping for all tastes and budgets.
Excursions
Full-Day Excursions
There are many locations close to Oxford which are popular among tourists and travellers. Dependent on numbers, we often offer full-day trips by private coach on Saturdays. Popular destinations include:
• London
• Bath
• Brighton
• Bristol
• Cambridge
• Stonehenge
• Stratford-upon-Avon
• Warwick
• Windsor
• The Cotswolds
In the event that we do not have enough students to run a full coach trip. We can also help students book their own tickets and offer travel advice to them including suggestions for sightseeing, accommodation and activities. Our students often find that travelling by themselves or with other OSE students is a great way to put the English they’ve learnt in class into practice and use their improved language skills in a real world setting.
Weekend Getaways (3–4 Days)
Especially for students from further afield like South America and East Asia, your time in Oxford can be a great opportunity to explore other European cities. Oxford is centrally located between several international airports and as such many students take advantage of this with weekend trips to places like:
- Edinburgh & Glasgow
- Amsterdam & Bruges
- Berlin
- Paris & Disneyland
- Barcelona
- Dublin
Half-Day Excursions
Especially popular in summer, our shorter trips include visits to:
Blenheim Palace
Bicester Village
BMW Mini Factory
Football Matches
From September to June, join us for occasional trips to see live Premiership and Champions League matches.
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